Do You Know…?
Three weeks ago I told you that I was going to do sermons on the thanksgiving because of the time of year it is and next month we are going to do sermons on Christmas because of the time of the year it is going to be so today will be our last sermon before thanksgiving and it will focus on the Cross of Jesus. Our title of the first Thanksgiving sermon was “Do You Have Help on Your Pilgrimage” and the content of that sermon was that just as the pilgrims needed help on their search for religious freedom we need help in our pilgrimage. We saw that the Psalmist looked to GOD for his help and not to the hills. Last weeks sermon looked at the fact that we need deliverance, just as did the pilgrims, from the fear as well as the fear of death and I titled that sermon, “What Do You Need Deliverance From?” Today being that Sunday before Thanksgiving, the third sermon out of four on Thanksgiving, is going to focus on the cross of Jesus. The reason the pilgrims came to the new land was to find religious freedom so they sought after it. I am not sure if they new where they were heading or what they would find when they got there. I do believe however though they new the way to get where they knew they needed to be.
Lets look at our scripture in John 14:6, but we will read starting in verse one in order to answer our titles question. I have titled this sermon, “Do You Know…,” because before you do anything you must know what you are wanting to do. We see that in the first five verses that JESUS told HIS disciples do not let your hearts be troubled because HE was going to prepare a place for them. They wanted to know how to get to where HE was going. In life we need to know where we are going. If you do not know where you are going then you will not get to the final destination. If I wanted to go to the diner then I would need to know which one I wanted to go to and then map out how to get there. The pilgrims knew that they needed the freedom of religion and they had to find out how to get there. They knew where they were. Then they needed to know where to go to get it. So in this one verse we see some important truths for us while we are traveling this great road of life, lets see if you know where you are going and the effects of not knowing the way, the truth and the life.
I AM the WAY
The first statement JESUS made was that HE was the way. Look at it again: what stands out to you? I AM, or the or Way? The emphasis is on the word “the”. Why, because there was no other way to get to GOD and that is where the disciples wanted to follow JESUS too. There is no other religion, philosophy or process to get you to heaven. The saying of all roads lead to heaven is a lie. Matter of fact in one of his trips Ravi Zacharias was asked if he was a Muslim. He stated no he was Indian by birth and Christian by faith. The man, a Muslim, which had asked him that question replied with another question: why? Ravi asked the man, “Do you believe Mohammad was a prophet?” The Muslim replied, “yes.” Ravi then asked, “Do you believe that JESUS was a prophet?” The Muslim again replied, “yes.” Ravi asked another question, “Do you believe that prophet cannot lie?” The Muslim this time replied, “yes.” Ravi then said, “JESUS said HE was the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one come to the FATHER but through ME, and Mohammad said he was a way.”
Not only does JESUS claim to be the way to the FATHER but did you realize that HE does not show the way HE said HE was the WAY. So we can say that the WAY is a person. JESUS showed us how to live life: how to overcome temptations, overcome sin and how to overcome this world.
When you are going to go to the store you have to know from where you are coming and to where you want to go. JESUS with this statement is saying HE is that WAY. It does not matter where you are at in your life. No matter what sin you are enslaved to HE is your way out. No matter how guilty you are of sin, HE is your mediator. No matter how much guilt you feel because of your sin, HE is your escape.
My question to you today is do you know where you are at and where you are going? Do you like the things life is showing you? Where are you going, do you know? As you travel this road of life what are the signs telling you? As we travel the highways there are signs that say, “Jacksonville 89 miles”, what do the signs on your roads tell you? Are they ones leading you to where you want to go? Are they appealing to you? On I-10 there are billboards that advertise everything from places to eat to places to sleep, what are your billboards advertising? Are they advertising things of GOD or things of this world? Are they leading you to the ONE TRUE GOD or away from?
I am here to tell you today no matter where you are coming from, being a Christian or a non-Christian, JESUS is the way to where you want to be. HE is the way to: the mansion of heaven, to life of peace, joy and to a life of no guilt. HE is the way to peace with GOD. HE is the way of truth. Without the way there is no going. If we do not have a way to get to the store there is no going to the store. If there is no road leading to GOD there is no getting to GOD. Because of JESUS we have a Way to GOD. If you are not on this WAY to GOD you will not get to GOD. Just as the way of religious freedom lead the pilgrims to America and I believe that GOD showed them the way, JESUS is our way of freedom: from sin, guilt, the wrath of GOD and death. There is a way but the question is, are you on it and in it? Let us look at the effects of not having the truth.
The Truth
A year or so ago my folks went through a very difficult time. In this situation they were accused of starting situation. The situation is on going and a man could go to jail for a long time if he is convicted but my folks were accused of lying on this man. For the first couple of month my father said, “Chad, the truth will be made known. The truth is a person. He then quoted this verse John 14:6.” I began to ponder that statement and this verse. What did he mean that truth is not something said but it is a person? I could not comprehend it. After much thought and research I am not sure I can comprehend it all but I have a better grasp of it, now let me try to explain it.
In our society we have been told that there are no absolutes. Nothing is solid. You cannot trust anything or anyone. Two plus two doesn’t have to be four any more it can be whatever you want it to be. Telling the truth is a matter of saying the correct words in the correct order. You can say one thing mean a totally something different. Truth telling is not longer happening. What is the truth one might ask? The truth is there is no truth another replies.
We see JESUS as truth in three ways: HE is the Embodiment of truth, HE is the Communicator of truth and HE is the Liberator of truth. Lets take a closer look at each.
First we see JESUS as the embodiment of truth. What does this mean? Lets look in the dictionary and find out. When you look up truth in the Webster’s Dictionary you will see a picture of JESUS. If someone asked you what a dog looks like you show them a dog. If someone wanted to know what the color purple looked like you would show them a box of krouns. If someone asked you what a bible was you could show them yours. Well if someone asked you what is the truth you would tell them JESUS. JESUS was the truth and is the truth. HE is the truth about GOD. HE shows us what GOD was and WHO GOD is.
Next JESUS is the communicator of truth. JESUS told us the truth about everything. HE said that HIS house was a house of prayer, so HE prayed there. JESUS told his disciples what GOD was like and what HE liked and disliked. JESUS physically communicated the truth.
Finally, we see that JESUS is the liberator of truth. Since we live sinful lives we cannot get to the FATHER or heaven for that sake so we must have someone to liberate us from this lie we are living called life. Life as we know it is a lie. There are absolutes, there is a GOD and there is a moral law. JESUS came to earth to free us by giving us the truth. HE died. HE was and is the truth. Because of HIS death on a cross we no longer need to believe what this world tells us about GOD, morality and absolutes.
The effects of not having or knowing the truth are devastating. We see today that people believe in no absolutes. The only absolute they know of is that there is no absolute. Because there are no absolutes we can live how we want to. You can have sex with anyone anywhere; you can do drugs, steal, kill and disobey the law. Saying that have you ever wondered why prayer is forbidden in schools and the 10 Commandments now being taken out of places where people can see and read them? I will tell you why: because it proves there are absolutes and a GOD. It is okay for a Muslim to pray in school or it is ok for a college to mandate all incoming students to read Muslim materials but as for Christian literature it is wrong. Ever wonder why? Because they know the JESUS is a real person and more so they know HE IS TRUTH. The effects of not having the truth are terrible. I would not wish it on any body, even those 911 high-jackers, and my worst enemies. Not having the truth will not lead you to heaven but rather to hell. Do You Know Where You Are Going? Do you like what your life is showing you?
I believe that the pilgrims did like what they saw because they had the Truth on their side. The effects for them were death. They needed the Truth to set them free from captivity. Do you?
Finally, we will look at the final statement in this verse: the life. What is so important about life? I have a question for you, “are you living life or just existing?” You say you are living life to the fullest doing those things you like to do: getting drunk, having a beer or glass of wine sometimes, going to parties, you have the car of your dreams, you have the money you need and there is nothing you do not have that you do not already have. I am asking you again do you life. A dead tree does not just fall over when it dies. You can be living but it does not mean you have life. You are going to parties but you cannot remember what happened. You have the car of your dreams but the cops are pulling you over when you speed. You have the best looking spouse but you do not have love. I am asking again do you have life or are you just surviving. You say you have life but you are always miserable. I will answer that question for you, no you do not have life. Adam had life. Adam walked with GOD everyday. He did not work, did not have pain and yet he had everything he wanted. That is until sin came into the picture. The only way to have life is to be free from sin or to be right with GOD. The things you may be doing in your life if they are not pleasing to the LORD or if you are not saved then you do not have life. Life is having a relationship with GOD. See when GOD created Adam HE did so to have fellowship with man. After Adam sinned he could no longer have fellowship with GOD. Now that sin had entered into this world through Adam, human blood, we needed someone to restore fellowship with the FATHER for us. This is what JESUS did. HE lived life is such a way that HE did not sin or fall into temptation HE was perfect. In order to give us a way back to the FATHER HE became like us and lived among us. In doing so HE lived that perfect life and took our sin so that we may be declared righteous before GOD. Without life there is not living. If it were not for JESUS living that perfect life that we all needed and taking our sins and taking the wrath of GOD upon HIMSELF we would not have a chance to live life. That is live life with GOD in heaven. Once again do you have life or are you just living? Look at the signs on the road of your life, what are they telling you? Do you like what life is telling you? Do you like where you are going.
In closing the pilgrims need help from GOD on there journey for religious freedom, the needed deliverance from the oppression of the Church of England and they needed the way, the truth and the life in order to get where they wanted to go. On Thursday we will be celebrating Thanksgiving, a traditional holiday that many people forgot or maybe they never knew what it really stood for. It is a day that pilgrims gave thanks to GOD for the freedom they now had. Today I urge you with everything I have to come and seek GOD for help out the mess you are in, deliverance from the sin in your life and find your way, the truth and life so that you may live forever with GOD in heaven. Without the way, there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the Way, which thou oughtest to follow; the Truth, which thou oughtest to believe; the Life, which thou oughtest to hope for. I am the Way inviolable, the truth infallible, the Life Unending. I am the Way that is straightest, the Truth that is highest, the Life that is true, the Life blessed, the Life that is uncreated. If thou remain in My way, thou shalt know the Truth, and the Truth, shall make thee free, and thou shalt lay hold on eternal life.
